News
Enugu: Why Lagos based lawyer is in prison -Traditional Prime Minister
The traditional Prime Minister of Agunese Mmaku Kingdom in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State High Chief Frederick Ngene has clarified how a Lagos based lawyer Vincent Okafor is currently being detained at the Enugu prisons
The reaction is coming on the heels of recent media reports where the detained lawer claimed that his traditional ruler HRH Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi is using the police to intimidate and harass him.
High Chief Ngene who brushed aside the claims noted that the legal practitioner is the cause of his travails.
He said; “these are people who threatened to cause violence in the Mmaku community by importing unidentified armed men into the community during the town union executive election some years back.
“Our King, HRH Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi in his wisdom had to avert the intended violence by postponing the election on the advice of the DSS Director of Awgu Local Government.
“This same group of people ran to the police with fictitious petitions.
“They tried to mislead the police with a fictitious petition where they claimed among other things that:
- His Royal Highness Igwe Cyprian Nevobasi is not a traditional ruler
- That he killed so many people and burnt down houses during the contest for the throne.
“The police did their investigations and found out that these things were unfounded and malicious.
‘The same people, turned around and accused the Inspector General of Police of being influenced by His Royal Highness; an allegation the police didn’t find funny, and charged them to court
“The lawyer in question was so unprofessional, made reckless utterances. He verbally threatened to deal with the police; he wrote so many unverifiable petitions.
‘The police have arraigned some of them and detained in prison custody while some of them including Emmanuel Okeke Uwabunkonye are still at large.”
Barr. Okafor was recently arraigned before an Enugu Magistrate’s Court on three counts charges bothering on offences of “felony and carrying out a warlike undertaking” against the community and its traditional ruler, Igwe Nevobasi.
The presiding Magistrate, His Worship M. O. Odigbo Esq of Enugu North Court 1, subsequently, remanded Okafor in prison and declined jurisdiction to entertain the alleged offences.
The charge sheet obtained with Charge No. MEN/590C/2024, has the Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu as the Complainant and Vincent Okafor as the Defendant.
The charge reads: “That you Vincent Okafor ‘m’ and others now at large on the 13th day of August 2024 at Agunese Mmaku in Agwu Magisterial District holden in Enugu did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Promoting Local War and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 495 (a) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol.II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.
“Count II: That you Vincent Okafor ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did without lawful authority, carry on a warlike undertaking against HRH Igwe Cyprian M. Nevobasi ‘m’ by attacking him with guns, cutlasses, axes and other dangerous weapons and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol.II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.
“Count III: That you Vincent Okafor ‘m’ and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforementioned Magisterial District did without lawful authority, carry on a warlike undertaking against the members/indigenes of Agunese Mmaku Community and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 86 of the Criminal Code, Cap 30, Vol. II, Revised Laws of Enugu State of Nigeria 2004.”
The Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Blessing Agbebaku, has resigned from his position.
Agbebaku stepped down on Monday amid moves by some lawmakers to impeach him.
His resignation was confirmed on Facebook by his media aide, Ivy Adodo-Ebojele, who said further details on the circumstances surrounding his exit would be made public later.
“EDO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER RT HON CHIEF BLESSING AGBEBAKU RESIGNS,” she wrote.
The development has thrown the Edo State House of Assembly into a fresh leadership crisis, with lawmakers expected to determine a new Speaker.
Details shortly…
The Executive Secretary of the Igbo Oriental Think Tank, Dr. Kenneth Anozie, has highlighted the vision of Dr. Chukwuma Anyichuks Odii for Ebonyi State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
In a statement titled “Anyichuks Odii 2027: I Have a Dream for Ebonyi State,” Anozie compared Odii’s vision for Ebonyi with the transformational ideals associated with American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
According to the political analyst, Odii believes that Ebonyi State possesses enormous potential capable of benefiting the wider population rather than serving the interests of a few.
Anozie said Odii’s proposed agenda includes a restructuring of government to ensure equitable representation and development across the different zones of Ebonyi State.
He also listed improved infrastructure as a key component of Odii’s vision, particularly roads and other projects that would facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, stimulate industrial development and create employment opportunities for youths.
The analyst further said Odii plans to make the civil service more responsive to the needs of residents, establish major healthcare centres across the state’s local government areas to help reduce child mortality, and provide extensive ICT training for young people.
Anozie said the ICT initiative could position Ebonyi as a hub for technology talent, with trained professionals able to compete for opportunities locally and internationally.
“Anyichuks has a dream. Ndi Ebonyi need to cue in to that dream for the benefits of all,” Anozie said.
He urged Ebonyi residents to pay attention to the proposed agenda and participate actively in determining the direction of the state ahead of the 2027 election.
Dr. Kenneth Anozie is the Executive Secretary of the Igbo Oriental Think Tank and a political analyst.
…Governor trounces APC’s Oyebamiji with 66,252
The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Governor Ademola Adeleke, of the Accord Party, the winner of the 2026 governorship election.
Announcing the final results, INEC Returning Officer, Prof. Joshua Ogunwole, the Vice- Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti declared Adeleke winner and returned him elected.
Ogunwole announced that the Accord candidate secured 511,067 while his closest challenger, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, recorded 444,815 votes.
Adeleke trounced his major opponent with 66,252 votes amid wild jubilation by party supporters and other residents.
Details later…
The Osun State Governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, has won 19 of the 30 Local Government Areas in Saturday’s governorship election, while the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji, secured victory in 11 LGAs.Download Offline Maps
The results are being collated and announced, with the Independent National Electoral Commission expected to make the official declaration after the completion of the process.
Adeleke recorded notable victories across several parts of the state, including Ede South, Ede North, Osogbo, Ife Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ilesa West, Odo Otin, Egbedore and Iwo.
Oyebamiji, however, won key LGAs including Ilesa East, Boripe, Irepodun, Obokun, Atakumosa West, Atakumosa East, Irewole, Isokan, Ola-Oluwa, Ife South and Olorunda.
The results announced so far show a closely contested election between the two major candidates, with the other candidates recording significantly lower figures in most of the LGAs.Download Interactive Maps
In Boluwaduro, Adeleke polled 7,118 votes against Oyebamiji’s 7,050. In Ede South, Adeleke secured 26,188 votes while the APC candidate scored 6,219.
Adeleke also won Ife North with 13,879 votes to Oyebamiji’s 9,613; Ilesa West with 16,196 against 12,756; Ifedayo with 7,427 against 6,836; and Ife Central with 21,171 against 15,913.
In Osogbo, Adeleke recorded 36,480 votes while Oyebamiji polled 30,474. He also won Oriade with 21,343 votes to 14,863 and Odo Otin with 18,003 votes against 15,435.
Other LGAs won by Adeleke included Ife East, where he scored 27,201 votes against Oyebamiji’s 18,600; Ifelodun, 21,107 against 18,396; Iwo, 27,085 against 19,660; Ede North, 35,427 against 10,283; Ila, 16,211 against 12,934; Ayedire, 11,073 against 9,910; Egbedore, 19,278 against 11,194; and Ayedaade, 16,681 against 15,719.Design Campaign Signs
Oyebamiji secured victories in Ilesa East with 16,208 votes against Adeleke’s 12,280; Boripe with 19,963 against 12,448; Irepodun with 15,713 against 14,504; and Obokun with 16,120 against 12,023.
He also won Atakumosa West, polling 10,037 votes to Adeleke’s 7,479; Irewole, 29,972 against 10,934; Atakumosa East, 9,936 against 7,872; Isokan, 14,063 against 13,765; Ola-Oluwa, 10,782 against 10,063; Ife South, 14,678 against 13,507; and Olorunda, 24,671 against 23,514.
The outcome places Adeleke ahead in the overall LGA tally, although the final result remains subject to the completion of the official collation and declaration by INEC.
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As of about 4:30pm on Saturday, INEC had uploaded 903 of the 3,763 expected polling-unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV), representing about 24 per cent of the results expected across the state.
The emerging figures show Adeleke’s party making an early statement, particularly in Osogbo, where results from two polling units reviewed showed the Accord Party ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
At Ward 4, Unit 39, Osogbo Local Government Area, Accord secured 65 votes, while the APC polled 43. The ADC recorded two votes, while ZLP, AA and AAC each scored one vote.
Another result from Ward 4, Unit 13, also in Osogbo, further tilted in favour of the Accord Party, which scored 134 votes against 75 votes for the APC. The ADC polled four votes, while ADP, AAC and APGA recorded one vote each.
The figures have placed Adeleke ahead in the early results emerging from the available uploads, although the lead cannot yet be treated as an indication of the final statewide outcome.
The race remains open, with thousands of polling-unit results still to be uploaded, verified and collated through the official INEC process.
The emerging results are nevertheless significant because they provide the first concrete picture of how the three leading contenders — Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam — are performing in areas where results have been made available.
The early advantage for Adeleke comes after a tense election day marked by complaints over delays in the electronic transmission of results, alleged incidents of intimidation and vote-buying, as well as isolated reports of violence.
Adeleke had earlier expressed confidence in victory after casting his vote, while Oyebamiji also declared that he expected to win the contest. Salaam, meanwhile, raised concerns over the alleged non-recognition of some ADC agents and later reported an attack at his polling unit in Ejigbo.
Attention has now shifted from voting to the results battle, with parties and supporters closely monitoring the IReV portal and the official collation centres.
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